


With All Your Heart And Soul

by LilacMemorial



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dancetale (Undertale), Dancetale Papyrus (Undertale), Dancetale Sans (Undertale), F/F, F/M, Gender-Neutral Frisk (Undertale), More tags to be added after the second part is posted!, Mutual Pining, OCs for daaayyyssss, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Prejudice Against Monsters (Undertale), Protective Sans (Undertale), Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader is kind of sassy, Someone gets coffee tossed in their face, Worried Sans (Undertale)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:08:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,258
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28663710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LilacMemorial/pseuds/LilacMemorial
Summary: You're an international rockstar who has made it no secret that you support monster rights since they came to the surface two years ago. An incident at a local coffee shop further pulled you into the world of monsters and their greatest love: dancing.Sans hasn't done much dancing even after coming to the surface and leaving the RESETs behind. An innocent suggestion from Frisk during your time of need created a spark that began to rekindle his love of dancing while showing you how monsters take such joy from the movements that come straight from their souls.Now, a year later during a monster rights concert, you're both about to have the most important night of your lives.[ A two-shot taking place in a post-pacifist ending Dancetale AU ]
Relationships: Alphys/Undyne (Undertale), Asgore Dreemurr/Toriel, Sans (Undertale)/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 31





	With All Your Heart And Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Rated E for the second chapter!
> 
> Originally this was going to be a one-shot but it got SO LONG that I decided to break it up into two parts for the sake of my own sanity.
> 
> Inspiration for the reader's musical style is a bit of a blend of the following bands: Halocene, Paramore, Halsey, Billie Eilish, Seraphim, and Starset. Check out their stuff if you haven't! All of them are awesome! Some songs provided more specific inspiration and I'll be listing those at the end of the second chapter.
> 
> Kudos, bookmarks, and comments are loved and adored! Please enjoy!

" **-the UN summit to discuss worldwide monster rights continues on. Since 2 PM this afternoon when the conference first started there has been no press or cameras allowed inside the chamber but aides have informed the press outside that talks have continued in earnest and may even last into tomorrow morning after a brief recess-** "  
  


" **-no information yet but we should have more updates soon on the status of current talks-** "  
  


" **-there is concern that countries such as China and Bulgaria may continue to withhold the granting of rights but this summit could change that-** "  
  


You turned off the flat screen in your dressing room. Every news channel from conservative to liberal media were all saying the same thing: no news yet, updates pending, talks still ongoing. You flopped back against the couch before looking over to Frisk who had been sitting beside you while you channel surfed. They were looking down at their hands with pursed lips while fiddling with the edges of their purple tutu.  
  


"Hey," you said gently, bumping your side against their own. "Why so glum, chum?"  
  


"They've been in there for hours." Frisk glanced to the now dark screen of the TV before looking up at you with an expression so full of hope it made your heart ache. "That means there's a chance, right? There's a chance they can say monsters get the same rights as humans? If it was all 'no' then they'd be out by now."  
  


For a moment you couldn't think of what to tell them. You didn't want to give them hope if things didn't work out, but you wanted to believe just as badly as they did.  


"There's a chance," you began carefully while reaching a hand up to brush some bangs from their face as they gazed up at you. "There's always a chance and there's always a reason to hope. Even if this summit doesn't give us what we want, there are other chances. There's too many people invested in monsters being treated the same as the rest of us."  
  


Frisk managed to smile despite their lingering worries. "Like you!"  
  


"Yeah, twinkle toes, like me."  
  


"I don't think many people pour iced coffee on a guy's head over it, though."  
  


You smiled weakly. "Oh jeez don't remind me; I was mortified afterward but I'd still do it again-"  
  
  


* * *

  
  
_[ A year ago ]  
  
_

It took forever but you finally had an opportunity to skip your security and indulge in one of life's simple pleasures: grabbing an iced coffee and a danish at the local coffee shop. When was the last time you had even been in a coffee shop? You couldn't remember. Had to be a few years. Since you got signed and your single 'Forget Me Not' hit the top three on the charts. Overnight your popularity shot through the roof and both your manager and agent were deadset on getting you guards to watch after you.  
  


Tammy and Anthony were great, though! Tammy had a blue mohawk that matched her personality and Anthony had arms as big as your future with a smile that was just as broad. But, even enjoying having them as personal detail, sometimes a girl just wanted to be independent and do shit for herself and not let an intern do all the work.  
  


It was nine in the morning so the bulk of the working class crowd already got their java before hitting the office for the day. All that lingered were students and mid-morning commuters when you opened the door to look around. Perfect. With your shades on, hair stuffed in your beanie, and your rattiest hipster T-shirt over your most comfortable jeans you could easily blend in with the other college students.  
  


As you got into line behind the two other people in front of you, you heard the door open with a jingle and some others shuffle in behind you. A few seconds later you heard the scrape of a chair against the floor and a low but discernable snarl under a man's breath of "I'm not drinking my coffee with these freaks here" before storming out.  
  


Freaks? Wha-  
  


You turned your head...and was met with a chest clad in a purple robe. Or was that a midriff? Then you craned your head up and-  
  


Oh Lordy Lou it was a monster goat lady.  
  


Monsters had been around for a year. They weren't uncommon but sometimes you could go days without seeing any at all. You heard more were pouring out from the mountain they had been trapped under and many more besides were coming out from hiding all over the rest of the world, too. Seems one civilization coming out to the open gave others the courage to step back into the light as well. Despite being the case for the last year some people were still...adjusting.  
  


Monster goat lady smiled kindly down to you when your head tipped up. Besides her on the left was a kid in a sweater and tutu ensemble holding her hand while on her right was what looked like a short skeleton in a hoodie and striped sweats.  
  


"Hello!" chirped the child.  
  


"Uh...heya." Not wanting to stare you turned resolutely to look at the person in front of you.  


The child was talking excitedly to the monster goat lady about their itinerary for the day. Talking about people you had never heard of but doing so with such excitement that you couldn't help but let a smile creep onto your lips as you neared the front of the line. "One large iced mocha with caramel drizzle and two pumps of caramel syrup. Extra whip too, please."  
  


The child from behind you piped up. "That sounds good! Could I get that too, Mom? Please?"  
  


"if we gave you that we'd be peeling you off the ceiling, kiddo." The skeleton was the one who spoke this time.  
  


Your grin broadened to yourself as you paid for your drink and stuffed a twenty into the tip jar. As you stepped aside to let the strange trio up to the counter you heard some more people grumbling to themselves as they abruptly left. As you watched them go you saw a couple stop in front of the door, stare at the goat lady and skeleton, then quickly turn the way they came.   
  


Twats. Something in you encouraged you to stay so you headed to the counter and pretended to be examining the chocolate sprinkle container. Sure enough, there was a commotion from the front as the manager came up with a falsely apologetic smile to the monster goat lady. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave."  
  
  
Bingo. There it was.  
  


The monster goat lady (bless her heart) just smiled sweetly. "May I ask for the reason, sir? We've just been standing in line to get the little one an iced tea."  
  


"We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, ma'am." You could see the pimply-faced weasel was straining just to use basic titles of respect like 'ma'am' to a monster. "I'm asking you again to please take your business elsewhere."  
  


"But we weren't doing anything..." protested the child weakly. Your heart broke.  
  


On the lady's other side you could see the skeleton monster staring evenly at the manager with an unwavering grin. Glancing down, you could also see that his fists were clenched inside the pockets of his hoodie.  
  


"Hey," you called from the counter. "They weren't doing anything. Just let them buy an iced tea for the kid."  
  


"Please stay out of this-"  
  


"Like hell I will. I'm not going to be an audience to some titmouse being racist to a pair of monsters and a little kid."  
  


The insult wasn't exactly a common one and you heard the skeleton snort despite himself. The kid was staring at you with wide eyes. You'd have been more vulgar but, yeah, a kid was here. Some people in the coffee shop already had cameras on their phones capturing the whole thing. The manager seemed to be noticing that as well and it was making him nervous. You took pleasure from his discomfort.  
  


"People are leaving or not coming into the store because their kind is here. We can refuse to service monsters if we want to."  
  


The idea of using your popularity to your advantage never sat well with you. You avoided it when you could and tried to be as normal of a person as possible. Times like this, however, were a special exception. You took off your shades and clipped them onto your shirt. Already someone recognized you as they excitedly explained to their confused friend who you were. You adjusted your beanie and let your purple hair fall down your back and shoulders. Now the manager even knew who you were if his stammering and the widening of his eyes was anything to go by. Perfect; let him squirm.  
  


"Yeah? And if you don't let the kid have a dang iced tea I'll blast this store and your company all over social media-" You squinted at his name tag. "-Roger. Until you won't even be able to get a job scrubbing toilets at Disneyland. Hop to it, mister. Time is money and I sure as shiiii-take mushrooms won't let you waste any more of ours." Phew. Close one. You forgot the kid was there for a second in your desire to verbally rip Roger a new butthole.  
  


After a few moments of looking nervously around the store and then back to you, Roger grit his teeth and stiffly began to make the iced tea himself. You watched him like a hawk with arms crossed and eyes narrowed as the skeleton leaned down to talk to the kid. You pretended not to overhear.  
  


"why're people suddenly listening to her?"  
  


The kid spoke back excitedly while bouncing on their heels. "She's a celebrity! Saturn's Rising? She's the lady who sings that song on the radio you like so much."  


The skeleton and the kid looked back at you. You smiled sheepishly with a little wave as Roger set the tea on the counter in front of the monster goat lady. She got the bills out of her purse and handed them over. But when her paw brushed Roger's hand he visibly recoiled and the money fluttered to the countertop.  
  


"Oh for the love of - here!" You stomped over, took money from your own wallet (ignoring the protest of the monster goat lady), and shoved it at Roger before handing the monster goat lady back her cash. "Keep the change. Come on."  
  


She gave you a warm albeit hesitant smile. "Come now, Frisk. Sans." You saw the kid (Frisk) sip noisily at their tea while watching the skeleton (Sans) wink at the manager before you all turned towards the door. Right as you opened the door for the trio to leave first, you heard Roger say none too quietly to one of his coworkers, "Good riddance."  
  


Oh that was _it_.  
  


You saw the skeleton stop and start to turn but you were already way ahead of him. You made sure he had the door, stomped over, and promptly splashed all off your mostly undrunk iced coffee into Roger's surprised face. A few people in the coffee shop gasped and a few let out a cheer.  
  


"Your coffee is shit anyway," you growled to the flabbergasted manager before turning on your heel and following after the others.  
  


"You didn't have to do that," said the monster goat lady gently once you joined them outside. "We are quite used to it."  
  


"I didn't," you agreed simply, "but someone had to and it sure wasn't going to be any of them. Besides, no one should get used to being treated that way."  
  


Her eyes softened and she held her paw out to you. "I am Toriel."  
  


"Frisk!" said the kid.  
  


"sans."  
  


You gave your name, shook hands with all three of them, and then offered to buy breakfast at a more accomodating place down the street.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
"You didn't get in any trouble for that?"  
  


"Not really." You waved it off. "Tammy and Anthony were a little upset I skipped having security and my manager gave me a lecture but it worked out. The guy got fired and the place got a lot of business from monsters to make up for what they lost with the bigots not showing up. He tried to press charges for me splashing his face with coffee but it didn't hold up in court. It was iced so it wasn't like I injured him. You both snickered. Toriel wouldn't have approved at you both laughing over the misfortune of someone else but whatever. The guy had been a jerk.  
  


"How much longer until the concert?" Frisk asked.  
  


You checked your phone. "A little over an hour. They'll start letting people into the stadium soon."  
  


Frisk saw your wallpaper before you could turn your phone back off. "Who took that?"  
  


Your wallpaper was you and Sans in the label's dance studio. He was helping you tie on some imitation ballet slippers you had to get used to dancing in for a music video a few weeks after you met him, Toriel, and Frisk. He looked like he was talking while you sat in a chair laughing at whatever he said. You were in sweats and didn't look the greatest but it was still one of your favorite pictures.  
  


"Tammy did. She's sneaky with that phone camera."  
  


Frisk beamed as they looked at the picture. They seemed to approve of it, too. "I like Tammy. She's funny."  
  


"She thinks you're the greatest. Do me a favor and go see how things are coming along backstage for me? I need to get changed soon. You still need to do your warm-ups since you're going on stage with me first."  
  


"Okay!" Giving you a hug, Frisk bounded up from the couch and pirouetted out of the room.  
  


You waited until the door shut behind them before allowing the anxiety to take hold. Your hand shook as you shifted it through your hair and looked over the wallpaper on your phone again. You even remembered the joke he had been telling at the time.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
"You really don't have to do that, Sans, I can take care of it."  
  


"i do it for the kiddo all the time." He was almost done with the laces of the first shoe. You were even impressed by the neat little bow he did on top. "hey, did you know fortune tellers are great dancers?"  
  


Oh boy, here it comes. You smiled. "I didn't know that."  
  


"yeah, every year they have a crystal ball."  
  


A snort of laughter escaped you before you could stop it and Sans' grin just widened in response as he worked up the laces of the other shoe. "You must know hundreds of these. You still didn't need to help me with the shoes, though."  
  


He shrugged as he finished with the neat bow on the other foot identical to the first. "a ballet dancer without her shoes is pretty _pointe_ less if you ask me."  
  


" _Please_ tell me you told Frisk that one."  
  


"i did. they laughed so hard milk came out their nose." He grimaced. "tori liked it too but i still had to clean up the puddle of snotty milk after she stopped laughing."  
  


That just made you laugh harder.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
There was a knock at the door. You looked up and tucked your phone away. "Come in."  
  


Anthony strode in with a clipboard in hand wearing all black with gel spiked through his equally black hair. "Alright, sugartits. We have an hour until go time-"  
  


"Did you see Frisk?"  
  


"They were going to stretch with the other dancers and then go check on Alphys and the special effects team upstairs. They put me in charge of going over the checklist with you since everyone else is busy."  
  


You bit on your lower lip. "Is Sans here yet?"  
  


His eyes rolled. "Short, hooded, and boney is with the dancers. Listen, Sat, it's fine. He doesn't suspect anything. Everyone knows what they're supposed to be doing and knows what to keep from Mr. Punny Bone Man. Now, about the list-"

  
"But what if someone slips up?"  
  


Anthony tilted his head back with a loud groan towards the ceiling. "Ohmygodyoufretmorethanmymother." He strode over and hoisted you up by the shoulders and gave a gentle shake. "If you don't take a breather and chill I'll sedate you like a hyperactive chihuahua. We're going to do some breathing exercises-"  
  


"I don't want to do breathing exercises," you grumbled.  
  


"I swear on my boyfriend's tight little ass I _will_ sedate you if you interrupt me one more time."  
  


You pursed your lips meekly and he smiled. "Good girl. Now breathe in...and out...in...and out..."  
  


A few reps of this later and you felt a little better. At least your hand stopped trembling. Anthony finally let you go so you could sit and the two of you went over the checklist. Your guitar had been tuned and the mic check wasn't until fifteen minutes before showtime. Tammy was casing the perimeter with the stadium's security team and they had people doing undercover detail in a five block radius around the stadium as well as near the parking lot and metal detectors.  
  


"What's the last thing on the list?" You craned your neck to try and see but Anthony tilted it away from you. One look at his expression was already making your anxiety spike again.  
  


"It's about the Kevlar the label wants you to wear."  
  


"Oh for the love of Christ-"  
  


"It's not like it's an illegitimate concern, Sat! Sans was there the last time something happened but we're talking a stadium of thirty thousand people. Not including the staff and extras from the TV stations and streaming services. _Millions_ of people are going to be watching and all it would take is one very lucky bastard with a gun to make a very public statement to one of monsterkind's most vocal allies by going 'chitty chitty bang bang'."  
  


"And I'm telling you that I trust that no one can get that close."  
  


Anthony stared at you evenly from his spot on the sofa. Dark eyes losing any of his usual mirth. "All it takes is one. We got lucky the first time it happened. What if we're not so lucky tonight? Do you really want to take that gamble?"  
  


Your thigh throbbed from the memory.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
The first month after meeting Frisk, Sans, and Toriel had been wonderful. Frisk was full of energy and hope and determination who loved to share stories from the Underground. They also loved asking you questions about what the music industry was like or where you got the inspiration for some of your songs.  
  


It occurred to you shortly after meeting the three that Toriel wasn't just any monster, she was the QUEEN of monsters. Her sense of humor was in the same vein as Sans' and she loved a good joke or pun as much as he did. Her husband, Asgore, was equally good-natured though a bit softer around the edges and doing all he could for his people.  
  


It was Sans that you got along with the best next to Frisk. His jokes kept you on your toes and his love of puns would have you giggle snorting with laughter. Though the biggest delight was seeing how happy he could get when you started to learn more puns to toss back at him.  
  


When they found out you were learning how to dance for a music video they were all interested in seeing the process. Humans didn't have a love for dance the way monsters did so it was harder for them to come across instances of humans dancing outside of media or in specific places like public performances. After a quick word with your record label and the dance instructor, you snagged clearance badges for Toriel, Asgore, Sans, and Frisk.  
  


Having them there was a comfort you didn't want to admit out loud. The partner you were going to be dancing with for the music video (a tall, blue-eyed brunette with long legs named Daniel from the agency) had abruptly quit a few days ago because of the now viral video of you defending Toriel, Sans, and Frisk from the coffee shop manager. He had called you a 'monsterfucker' (along with a few other things) and stormed out after you asked him to refrain from making a crass comment about the dance instructor's bunny friend that dropped off her lunch.  
  


The shoot for the video was six days away and you had no partner and none of the other dancers knew the routine because they were all women doing background pieces. They were going to be done behind special curtains during the video itself and both routines were _completely_ different from each other.  
  


But your dilemma was soon discovered the day you first brought the group to the dance studio. The instructor was fretting on the outside as much as you were on the inside. Then from the side of the room piped up Frisk's excited little voice. They were sitting on the floor with Toriel, Asgore, and Sans near the other dancers who were doing their stretches. "What about Sans doing it?"  
  


You and the instructor looked over just in time to see Sans slip his hood on and try to disappear. Was he...blushing? He was! There was some blue on his cheeks! You had never seen that before.  
  


"Sans?" The dance instructor adjusted her glasses with interest. "Oh! I've heard of you, actually. I'm friends with the bunny that used to deliver nice cream. He's said you're quite good."  
  


"heh. that so? he's not so bad himself." You almost felt bad for him given how embarrassed he was becoming. Almost. It was cute.  
  


Wait, cute? Really?  
  


"We could really use any help we could get at this point." You stirred from your thoughts as the dance instructor, Meredith, was now trying to be encouraging along with Frisk's gentle tugs at one of Sans' arms. "The agency that supplies us with dancers can't spare anyone else so short notice and the girls here already have their parts. I'm sure Sat wouldn't mind, would you?" She turned her attention to you and you smiled.  
  


"Not at all. But," you added, "only if Sans is comfortable. I'd be honored to have him as a dance partner if he feels up to it."  
  


His cheeks grew even bluer under his hood. With a sigh that was more dramatic than sincere, he stood up and moved over with his hands in his pockets and his usual grin trained on you. "alright, what's the routine?"  
  


You and Meredith showed him with one of the other dancers putting on the song in the studio's speakers using bluetooth. It was a paired piece utilizing hip hop with a touch of ballet and freeform. Shyly, you admitted that it was inspired by a dream you had a few months ago of a stranger dancing with you in a gazebo at night. You never got to see the face of who you were dancing with but you still woke up missing whoever it had been.  
  


Sans watched you and Meredith perform it all the way through with Meredith doing the partner segment. Sans was watching so intently that you felt your face heat up once or twice and you nearly missed your cues. At the end of it, you ended up on the ground with Meredith leaning over you with her fingers reaching up to 'close' your eyes. Frisk, Toriel, and Asgore applauded from the side and that did nothing to help the blush on your cheeks.  
  


"Need us to go through it again?" asked Meredith.  
  


"nah." He held his hand down and helped you up. "monsters don't usually do choreographed pieces but i can understand why you guys do it for things like this."  


So the song started again.  
  


You felt, for the first time, your soul stir.  
  


He didn't miss a single step. He kept his hood up and had no trouble matching the pace or steps even though he only saw you and Meredith do it once. There was something stiff beneath all of the fluid, graceful movements that jarred you while at the same time the rest of it made you breathless.  
  


At the end of the dance when he was leaning over you and 'closed' your eyes you felt like your heart was going to hammer out of your chest. Could he hear how fast it was beating? How you felt warm and tingly all over?  
  


When the applause started and your eyes opened to meet his sockets you knew that he wasn't in a much better state. His cheeks were the bluest blue and his sockets were wide, eyelights looking a little fuzzy around the edges. He quickly helped you up and your hands lingered together before he released it and went to sit back with the others as the other dancers got up to run through their segments. Toriel patted him on the arm and Asgore seemed to say something encouraging to him that you weren't able to make out. He continued to keep his hood up.  
  


The rest of the visit went great. Sans performed the dance with you one more time so Meredith could make sure the height difference wouldn't interfere with your steps since both she and Daniel were taller than Sans by quite a few inches. Satisfied, she said you could skip tomorrow's practice and come back the day after instead.  
  


As the other dancers and Meredith left to go on lunch, Frisk was bouncing about excitedly to Toriel and Asgore. "Ooo can we have burgers today? From Grillby's?"  
  


"I don't see why not," said Toriel thoughtfully. "I doubt Sans would complain."  
  


"heh. you know me well, tori."  
  


"Would you like to come with us, my child?" she asked you.  
  


"Sure! Let me just get my stuff together."  
  


They filed out and left you there in the studio. You were stuffing your shoes in your bag and lacing up your sneakers when you heard the door open again.  


"So it's true? You're not only fucking monsters but you're working with them now?"  
  


You paused. Then, slowly, you stood upright and looked across the studio to see Daniel striding towards you in sweats and a sweatshirt. You felt bad for having thought he was cute when he was first introduced as your partner for the music video. The pretty face couldn't make up for the fact he was a racist ass with a vulgar mouth.  
  


"You quit," you said calmly. "The agency couldn't find anyone to replace you on such short notice so my friend is going to fill in." Something deep within you hummed in approval at referring to Sans as a friend. You had never experienced that sort of warmth before until you two danced, but it felt _right_. You could ask about it later.  
  


"I quit because it's **disgusting** ," he growled. "It's disgusting that you treat them like they're the same as us. What about the kids who were killed for their barrier to go down? Do you think about that when he puts his hands on you?"  
  


It took a lot of effort but you kept your temper in check - for now. "I think you need to leave. I don't even know how you got in."  
  


"I'm doing another project in the building." He pulled out a switchblade that he had been hiding in the sleeve of his sweatshirt. It opened with a snap and you went rigid, eyes honing in on the sharp edge. "But I know my career is over after this. Your manager raised hell to the agency. This is my last gig in this town; probably my last ever." When he looked towards you it was with something too calm to be sane when he had a knife in his hand.  
  


"My dreams of becoming a professional dancer in this business are as good as dead. Kind of fitting you should join them since it's all. Your. Fault."  
  


He was taller than you so he aimed low. Lower than he needed to. At the last moment, you scrambled to the side, but not before the blade sliced along the outside of your thigh. The pain sent a jolt to your system and broke you from the brief bout of shock at being confronted with a knife by someone you had worked with. You screamed.  
  


The door to the studio slammed open and Tammy was running in, bagel in her mouth as her shitkickers pounded against the floor. Oh thank god-  
  


But Sans beat her to it.  
  


One moment it was empty air between you and Daniel as he tried to lunge for you again. Then there was a hooded skeleton spinning an elaborate kick directly into Daniel's pretty face that sent him falling back into Tammy, who tackled him to the ground so hard something cracked. You hoped it was one of his legs.  
  


"i came back to check on ya and heard screaming-" Then he saw the way you were clutching at your leg. He cursed as more people began filtering into the room at the commotion. "you're bleeding!"  
  


"Hey there, partner." You winced as you felt blood well over your fingers. Someone shouted for an ambulance. "Nice kick step. What was that mixed with, a roundhouse?"  
  


"my own style." But his eyelights flickered with worry and it caused that new sensation in your chest to hum at the sight of it.  
  


You began to tip over and he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and helped you sit gingerly on your uninjured side. A flurry of colorful curses were uttered under your breath and Toriel didn't scold you for once as she examined your injury with Sans holding onto your shoulders all the while. He didn't let go until the paramedics arrived along with the police.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
The situations being discussed were both different from each other. That had been with a switchblade and a scorned dancer no one expected to go postal. This was something that bordered on an international incident. If something went wrong tonight it would be broadcasted for the whole world to see.  
  


Anthony had been staring at you firmly as memories of that time had you squirming beneath his gaze. "Fine!" you relented, albeit reluctantly. "I'll wear the vest."  
  


He patted your thigh. "Good girl." As he stood up from the couch there was another knock. Tammy came in after you gave her the go-ahead, a chocolate chip cookie in her mouth and another in a napkin that she handed towards you. "Thought you might want a little something on that empty stomach," she said cheerfully.  
  


"Has she not been eating?" Uh oh. You stared down at the cookie rather than catch the reprimanding look from tall, dark, and sassy standing in your dressing room.  
  


"In bits and pieces!" Tammy was a blessing. "You know how she gets on concert days. Her anxiety makes her stomach do all kinds of flips and flops and she can't keep anything down." Tammy took a bite out of her own cookie. "Why don't you go check on Papyrus? No one's keeping an eye on him and the energy in the stadium is making him bounce off the walls. I think he started to samba with the drummer."  
  


Anthony rolled his eyes and pointed a finger against Tammy's chest. She was wearing the same all-black ensemble he was. "Make sure she eats." Then he was striding out after grabbing his clipboard from the coffee table. As soon as he left both you and Tammy took a breath as she flopped onto the couch next to you.  
  


"For a guy who bitches about how everyone is like his mother he frets and mother hens us more than anyone else," she mused.  
  


"I'll eat to that." You both 'clinked' your cookies together before you took a nibble. She was right, though. Concert days were hell on your nerves. It made touring extra tedious because you had to constantly be reminded to eat.  
  


Tammy's mohawk was at rest with the strands swept to one side, exposing the buzzed part of her scalp to the lights of the dressing room. You adored Tammy the same way you did Anthony though in a different way. Anthony kept you on task; Tammy kept you grounded. It worked well.  
  


"Nervous?" She peeked over to you as she wadded up her own napkin and tossed it in the nearby bin before taking yours and doing the same. Oh good, you ate the cookie without thinking about it.  
  


You grimaced. "Only an hour until I'm opening for one of the biggest civil rights benefits in the history of...anything ever. I got this."  


She smiled encouragingly at you. "You really do." She paused and then lightly bumped her shoulder against yours. "He really doesn't suspect anything. Everyone has been amazing about keeping the secret."  
  


The smile that creeps onto your lips is giddy but genuine. "You don't think he'll be mad?"  
  


"No. It's the surprise of a lifetime but I don't think he'll be upset about it."  
  


"Still-"  
  


"Hey, hey! None of that! Deep breaths." She gave your knee a pat and stood up just as another knock sounded and your stylists came in. Tammy gave your nose a boop. "I'll be back in ten to check on you." After flashing a wink to the make-up girl that caused her to giggle, your blue-haired bodyguard strolled out with her shitkickers thumping against the floor.  
  


As you were settled into the chair for touch-ups and last minute fusses it allowed your mind to wander again.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
It hadn't taken you long to see that Sans was the only monster you hadn't seen dance. Well, genuinely at least.  
  


Dancing, as it was soon discovered, was simply a part of monsters like how humans needed air or how cats loved to lay in sunbeams. It just _was_. They danced when they were happy, they danced when they were excited, they danced even when doing nothing else save to experience the joy of it. More than once you had been led into an abrupt dip by Papyrus (where did he keep getting roses to put in his mouth?) or had seen Toriel swaying around her kitchen while mixing eggs in a giant bowl.  
  


But Sans just...didn't. You'd see him tap his foot to a beat or occasionally sway his head from side to side. Fritz tried endlessly to get him to dance with them and they always found some kind of way around it with ease. Usually in the form of a clever distraction that any adult could see through but that easily worked on the kiddo.  
  


"Why do you do that?" You leaned against the doorway as Frisk scrambled past to the other room to catch the 'super special' program Sans told them about.  


"do what?" Sans was slumped lazily in one of the chairs at Toriel's kitchen table. A half-empty bottle of spicy ketchup was beside him that he was occasionally squirting straight into his mouth.  
  


"Avoid dancing with them." You found yourself smirking as you watched him squirt another shot of ketchup into his mouth. Where did it even _go_? "They always try and you have a way of distracting them. I thought all monsters loved to dance."  
  


He shrugs. "we do," he says simply.  
  


"You danced with me."  
  


"heh." He glanced to the side. "that was...different." When you continued to look at him expectantly, arms crossed and brows arched high, he sighed with a weak shrug of his shoulders. "it's complicated?" When that _still_ didn't sway you he finally settled on being forthright. "that was a set routine. planned and coordinated steps rather than dancing with true feeling. monsters all dance from our souls-" He tapped at his sternum. "-and there's little telling what can happen when we're allowed to just...be." There was a wistfulness that settled on his grin that gave you pause before it dissipated. "dancin' with you for that video was like acting. looked nice, but my soul wasn't in it."  
  


You felt a throb. What you felt didn't seem like rejection. More like melancholy? "So do you ever dance freely?"  
  


"with pap. by myself mostly."   
  


You weren't sure why but that bothered you. Something deep down didn't like that being the norm for him when every monster you had ever met took such profound joy in their dances. "Any reason for it?" The questions wouldn't stop. You wanted to know to...help? Yeah, help. Help sounded plausible.  


There came that wistfulness. The kind that made his eyes flicker and dim for just a moment like a flickering candle. "my soul just ain't in it anymore."  
  


Before you could ask further, Frisk came twirling in and the conversations moved to other things.  
  


It was a few weeks later when you asked Sans to meet you in the park behind the diplomatic estate where Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk lived after dark that things got...interesting. He had shown up with that same hoodie and infallible grin with his expression patiently amused as he waited to see what you had in store. There was a large bandstand just off the shore of a pond that was connected with a small footbridge while a willow tree swayed lazily in the evening breeze. You were waiting for him with a portable bluetooth speaker while dressed in your most comfortable outfit: baggy shorts, a gaming T-shit that was two sizes too big for you, fuzzy socks, and sneakers.  
  


"lookin' kind of _bonely_ out here, kiddo-"  
  


"I want you to teach me to dance."  
  


Sans stared at you. His grin ebbing while you stared evenly back at him. "...what?"  
  


"You heard me. I want you-" You point in emphasis towards him. "-to teach me-" Then you point to yourself. "-how to dance like a monster." You gave your sternum a little tip-tap. "To dance from the soul."  
  


As quick as his grin wavers he seems to have it back in place. You don't miss the glance he gives your thigh, the stitches out and the injury well on its way to forming a scar. "seems like dancing with monsters just gives you a lot of shit." It's the first time you've heard him curse. He sounds bitter.  
  


"Hey." Your firm tone has him looking back to you and away from your thigh. "Monsters don't try to kill me or send death threats to the studio or any of that crap. The _real_ monsters are human beings who are afraid of what they refuse to understand. You can't carry the weight of other peoples' prejudices, Sans. That isn't fair to yourself or to me if that's your motivation to saying no."  
  


"never said I was going to say no." At the surprise on your face, he shrugs. "i like your style. i also see how your soul has been reacting since the first time we danced." He flexed the fingers of his left hand through the air. "like a firefly caught in a jar. s'how frisk's was too when they first started out. the soul takes some time to get used to being in contact with other souls on that level since nothing like that has happened for you guys for thousands of years."  
  


Huh. That explained a lot. You don't have much time to mull over that before he's stepping over to the portable speaker and turning on the first song you had lined up. It's a vibrant, jazzy little number from your school days with a beat that had a way of staying with you long after the song was over.  
  


"c'mon. we can get right to the _pointe_." It took you a second to catch the ballet pun and you groaned before stepping towards him. You tried not to think about the way your pulse fluttered when he put his hands on your hips or the way his eyelights seemed brighter by the time the evening was over.  
  


Nope. Totally didn't think about it.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
"HEY NERD WAKE UP!"  
  


You nearly got stabbed in the eye with an eyeliner pencil as Undyne came barging in. Dressed in the same outfit as Tammy and Anthony, Undyne was both one of the dancers for tonight's performers and working with security backstage.   
  


"Jesus Christ on a cracker, Undyne-"  
  


"Whatever, I read that storybook. I don't think they had crackers two thousand years ago." She waved off your deadpan expression as one of the girls hurriedly corrected your make-up. "I just came in here to let you know everything is set and that Tammy and Anthony are in the final briefing before they get to focus on guarding shit backstage."  
  


"Anything happen?"  
  


"Just a few punks with picket signs and anti-monster gear trying to sneak in." Then she was bouncing on her heels, expression maniacally gleeful. "He doesn't know anything still! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIS FACE-"  
  


Your touch-up crew winced at her volume. You had long since gotten used to it. The mention of the surprise you had worked on for the last month had your stomach doing flips. It was almost time to go on stage and there was no coming back from this once you did it. Everyone was going to see it from folks back home to people as far as Asia and Australia-  
  


"Hey." Undyne was suddenly in front of you with hands on your shoulders. In most circumstances, you'd be pulled in for a noogie but she knew better than to mess with the stylists before a show - those girls could be downright terrifying. "It's going to be fine. You worked so fucking **hard** on this to show him what a loser-"  
  


"Undyne."  
  


"-he's been about shit. If anyone needs it? It's him. If anyone deserves to give that to him? It's you."  
  


One look at your quivering lip and quickly blinking eyes had her groaning. "Stop that! I'm not good with this mushy crap!"  
  


"Thank you," you murmured. Your chest felt tight now but in a good way. "I needed to hear that."  
  


"Yeah, well, Toriel is usually the one for the encouraging peptalks but she isn't here so it's my job!" She stomped towards the door, whirled on a heel with her red ponytail whipping behind her head, and pointed at you. "YOU BETTER NOT GET COLD FEET OR I'LL THROW YOU INTO THE CROWD OF FANS, YOU MUSHY NERD!" Then she was gone.  
  


"What surprise is she talking about?" asked your hairdresser as she worked on your hair with a curling iron.  
  


You took in a deep breath, but with the tightness in your chest you couldn't quite draw in the air all the way. "I'm going to do a surprise dance at the end of the second set for Sans to a song we wrote together."  
  


"Oh, that's so sweet!" As the girls behind you chittered excitedly about it, you didn't bother adding the one very important detail about the whole thing.  
  


This kind of dance, in this kind of circumstance, was the equivalence of a marriage proposal.  
  


And you were going to do it in front of millions of people.


End file.
